Thill-coupling



(No Model.)

E. F. BRAKE 8a A. C. WAIT.

THILL COUPLING.

Patented Oct. 23, 1888.

ATTORNEY \\AWW 'iiNiTEn STATES PATENT EETCEQ ENOCH F. DRAKE AND ALFRED C. VAIT, OF SALINA, KANSAS.

THlLL-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 391,519, dated October 23, 18188.

Application filed March 30, i888. Serial No. 269,017. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be itknown that we, ENOCH F. DRAKE and ALFRED C. Wnrr, of Salina, in the county of Saline and State of Kansas, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Thill or Pole Couplings, of which the following is a specication.

This invention 'contemplates certain in1 provements in thill or pole couplings, having for its object to overcome all rattling, in cornmon with others, and to effectively and securely hold the thill or pole against accidental displacement or detachment, which is liable to occur in consequence of the jarring action to which it is subjected from the motion of the vehicle; and the invention consists of the detailed construction and combination of parts, substantially as hereinafter set forth and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal section of a thill or pole coupling embodying our invention. Fig. 2 is a transverse section taken on the line a: x ol' Fig. l. Fig. 3 is a horizontal section taken on the line y y of Fig. l, and Figs. 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8 are enlarged detail views of the invention.

In carrying out our invention we employ a clip, A, of usual construction, for application to the front axle, being held thereon by aslotted plate, a, applied to the under side of the axle, and through which pass screws pendent from the clip and fitted with nuts. Upon the front side of the clip Avis formed a socket, B, which is open at its upper end and front side. This socket comprises two cheek-pieces, b b, each of which is thickened, as at b', upon its inside rearward a suitable distance, providing, between shoulders b2 thus formed and the clip A, vertical grooves b3 b3. In the thickened portions b b of the cheek-pieces b b are formed semicircular recesses or seats b4 b4, arranged directly opposite to each other and opening at their inner and rear sides into the thill-iron passage b5 and the vertical grooves b3 b3, respectively.

C is a thill or pole iron, the longer portion of which extends through the passage b5, while its crosshead as it is put into position is first passed into the vertical grooves b3 b3 downward, and then drawn into the recesses or seats b b4, where it normally rests.

D is an elastic or rubber block or cushion inserted into the socket B, with its ends entering and resting in the grooves b3 b3, and which effects the immediate holding vin place noiselessly of the thill-iron. The cushion or block D has secured to its top or upper edge aplate, c, which is grooved or channeled, as at c', in its under side to receive two latches, d d,while to the upper side of said plate is applied an open-ended seiIii-cylindric casing, c, Within which are contained two push rods or plugs, ff. The plate cis provided with a forwardlyprojecting tongue, c2, which enters and closes the upper portion of the thill or pole iron passage b, excluding flying or falling dirt or other foreign substance from the thill or pole socket. The latches d dhave their inner ends turned upward, as at d d', at right angles to their other portions, Aand enter a slot, g, in the plate c, and are acted upon by a spring, h, interposed between and connected to the saine. lThe outer ends of the latches d d are caused to project normally beyond the casing e and the block D by the action of the spring h, and engage with or enter notches or recessesvlz' in the side walls of the grooves b3 b3. The push rods or plugs ff have their outer ends `held beyond the ends of the casing e, also by the action of the spring h. The push rods or plugs, which are cylindric, the greater portion of their lengths, have their remaining or outer portions made rectangular and somewhat reduced, while the casing or inclosure e is slightly contracted at the ends, the object of which is to prevent the endwise displacement of the push rods or plugs. The Apush rods or plugs ff are disposed in place in the case through its open or bottom side before securing the casing to the cushion or block D, the cylindric or larger portions thereof being arranged at points inward from the contracted or end portions of the casing. The cushion or block D, it will be seen, not only serves as a bearing forthe rear or inner end of the thill or pole iron, but also to prevent the cross-head of the thill or pole iron leaving its recesses or seats in the thill or pole socket, while at the same time all tendency to upward displacement of the cushion or block by the thill or pole is prevented, the cushion or block fitting in behind the thill or pole iron and the. latter pressing squarely against the ICD cushion and in the direction of its transverse section or at right angles to its plane of displacement, whereby the thill or pole iron will be securely and effectively held in place. The block or cushion D, having'no upward pressure exerted upon it, is readily held in place by the latches cl d against accidental displacenient from the jarring action of the vehicle and its thills or pole, while the cushion or block can be readily removed by simply pushing inward upon the push rods or plugsff, effecting the retraction or withdrawal of the latches d d from their notches or recesses in the thill or pole iron socket, and lifting the block or cushion out of said socket. It can be as readily replaced by grasping it so as to push the push rods or plugs inward, thus holding` the latter until the latches in the block or cushion, which is introduced into its proper place in the thill-socket, have passed below the upperedges of the cheek-pieces of the thill or pole socket. The bloc-k or cushion is continued to be pressed down into its socket until the latches spring into their notches, and thus arrestfurther movement of the block or cushion and effect the holding of the same in place.

Having thus fully described our invention, what we claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. In a thill-coupling, the thill-iron socket having its cheek or side pieces thickened upon the inside, which thickened portions are provided with recesses or seats and which cornbine with the cheek-pieces and the axle-clip to form vertical grooves in a plane in rear and at the sides of said recesses or seats, in combination with the thill-iron having its cross-head resting in said recesses or seats, and the cushion fitting in said grooves immediately behind said cross-head and having applied to its upper end spring-actuated latches engaging notches or recesses in the side walls of said grooves, substantially as specified.

2. In a thill or pole coupling, the combination,with the thill-iron socket having its cheek or side pieces provided with vertical grooves, ofthe block or cushion having applied to its upper end a plate, and the latches with their outer ends projecting beyond the plate and cushion, while their inner portions or ends are extended upward at right angles to their other portions and acted upon by aspring interposed between said inner portions and the push rods or plugs adapted to effect the retraction of said latches, substantially as set forth.

3. The thill or pole coupling comprising the thill-iron socket, having its cheek-pieces enlarged upon the inside, which enlargements are provided in their rear ends with seats or recesses for the reception of the cross-head of the thill-iron, said cheek-pieces also having vertical grooves in rear of said enlargements, the cushion or block having applied to its upper end a plate provided in its under side with a channel or groove, spring-actuated latches fitting in said groove or channel, and the push rods or plugs disposedin a casing or inclosure applied to said plate, said push rods or plugs being held against the i nner ends of said latches and endwise displacement in said casing, substantially as specified.

ENOCH FfDRAKE. ALFRED C. WAIT. 

